consultancy s


‘Be clear about your expertise’


It was while working as business correspondent at The Telegraph in the mid-1990s that Andy Griffiths developed his love of newsletters. After being invited to


produce a corporate newsletter on a freelance basis, he left The Telegraph and found more newsletter contracts among corporate clients. Griffiths, who is based in


Devon and produces his own local newsletter, does not see himself as a media consultant but rather a newsletter consultant. His work ranges from


total project management, including recruiting writers


and graphic designers and overseeing production to offering paid advice to publishers, or acting as a (paid) sounding board. Griffiths is not particularly


active with marketing, but maintains a website that he set up five years ago when he was looking for more work. He also posts regularly on LinkedIn. “I get regular enquiries –


some are a good fit for me, others not. I generally wait for potential work to come to me,” he says. His advice to people


setting out as consultants is to be clear about the expertise and skills you are offering, and the exact


services you provide. Those on LinkedIn should look at what other consultants offer and position themselves accordingly, depending upon experience. “I don’t have the scope for


journalism or copywriting for clients any longer, but I might assist in the recruitment of someone suitable,” he adds. “I can add more value


with strategic and tactical advice, providing an objective, critical friend service for a new launch or to increase sales through a newsletter.”


During the past 30 years, he has launched or acquired more than 20 titles in financial services, corporate communication, sport and tourism. “I’ve always combined the work with running my own commercial newsletters, so the consultancy has been an add-on or side hustle,” he says. Freelancers wishing to work outside mainstream


journalism need be entrepreneurial and willing to spend time seeking out opportunities. “It’s better than bombarding [lots of] similar outlets with your CV,” says Mark Frankel. Consultants also need to develop a tough skin and be prepared for rejections. “It’s hard sealing the deal,” he adds. “There can be lots of expressions of interest, but it’s hard to get people to take you on.” A media consultant must have a portfolio (which can form part of their website) setting out their skills and achievements. If you are an award-winning journalist or specialise in audience engagement, say so in no uncertain terms. Be ready to embrace LinkedIn, shout loudly about your qualifications as well as your talent and post articles and other information that is of interest to would-be clients, not just fellow journalists. Potential clients will be especially interested in the


organisations that a consultant has worked for in the past, although commercial secrets must never be revealed to competitors or anyone else. Media consultants must also be aware that not every business is naturally inclined to employ a journalist, even on a job-by-job basis. To counter this, journalists working as consultants may need to demonstrate that they are no longer on the look-out for a story but fully committed to working for their client of the moment. That does not mean abandoning all principles. Shah has turned down work that was not of “the right culture and client fit” because she wants to be seen as providing a “trusted and authentic service”. While clients come to Shah with work, she undertakes her


own marketing when needs be. “It’s a cold climate for freelancers currently,” she adds. “If you’re going to set up as a media consultant, make sure you build up a community. Don’t work in isolation.” According to Bosonin, journalists working as media


consultants need to flag up ways they are ‘indispensable’, such as understanding industry trends, flagging up best practice and managing developments such as AI. “Media organisations are rarely able to adapt as fast as technology, consumers and the content landscape require,” he says. “Getting an outside expert to come in and identify high-impact strategies can help set teams up for success.” Bosonin calculates that he spends about 20 per cent of his time on consultancy work but this accounts for roughly half his annual revenue. “The more you consult, the more you can bring an external perspective,” he adds. The money he earns from consultancy helps him afford to not just pay his rent but also spend time on more time- consuming and less lucrative work, including investigations and ‘mission-driven’ journalism. “It’s so hard to live off just journalism,” says Bosonin. “Good


consultants for media organisations are those with in-depth knowledge of industry trends, operations and best practice, and who can bring an unbiased, constructive perspective over existing projects and operations.”


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